Response to "On The Uses of a Liberal Education"

I found the article to be very interesting. It is written in an extremely critical tone and I do not agree with most of what Edmundson says. He states that we are in a consumer era and that we have all become a certain mold without passion. I feel yes, times have changed and we are a consumer culture, however students still have passion. There are those students who will always voice their opinions and always be argumentative regardless of the times. He also writes that college has become a marketing game and I agree. College expenses have gone up a ridiculous amount and colleges now are much more luxurious and fancy than they were. Now with movie theatres and fancy gyms as opposed to museums or exhibits, they have become a place to have fun. This does not mean that large amounts of learning does not occur. He also writes that students are timid in class and are nice to the professors, I do not see that as a problem in that they are trying to respect the people that are teaching them and sometimes professors do not reciprocate in that respect. I feel that Edmundson would be one of those professors. He says that teachers have taught towards the book and are afraid to be vocal. I understand variety is needed every once in a while but it is important to get the basics regardless of major. This piece also goes into the subject about the increase in business majors. I think this is because of changing technology and because the determination of the new student. In the past fewer people went to college now many go to further their education. The ideas of the passionless student really bothers me because I feel each student is passionate otherwise they wouldn't be in college. I think that Edmundson is too critical on other professors as well he is not the only excited professor and school has changed but I believe for the better.